Mormon Media Observer: Top 10 LDS newsmakers of 2009

Mormon Times ^ | Dec. 30, 2009 | Joel Campbell

[Colofornian]

The Mormon Media Observer looks back at the year filled with LDS newsmakers. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., tops the list, based on a newsmaker's frequency in the news as well as the significance of their stories.

1. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada

The Senate Majority Leader led the battle to push through health reform in the Senate. News coverage of Reid made a household name and the divisive debate made him out to be both villain and saint. He may still face a tough battle in his home state of Nevada to save his seat.

On Christmas The New York Times wrote:

"WASHINGTON -- It was the pinnacle moment of his political career. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, on the verge of making history by shepherding through far-reaching health care legislation, was called upon by the clerk to cast his vote. And Mr. Reid, who had fought tirelessly for months to get the health care bill adopted, looked up from his desk and said, "No." ...Mr. Reid's oh-no vote capped one of the more remarkable stretches in what is shaping up to be one of the more remarkable careers in American politics, characterized in no small part by the sheer inscrutability of much of what he says and does. In the end, of course, Congressional leaders are judged on one thing alone: whether they come up with the votes. And Mr. Reid -- the miner's son from Searchlight, Nev., the amateur boxer who worked his way through law school as a Capitol Hill police officer, who has a knack for mumbling and off-the-cuff gaffes -- had the votes."

2. Stephenie Meyer

The release of "New Moon" attracted media attention around the world. Here's a sampling of the some of the worldwide headlines: "New Moon takes biggest bite," "Vatican denounces the 'deviant' Twilight Movie," "Mormon who put new life into vampires."

The Sunday Mail of London wrote: "Her teenage vampire books outsell Harry Potter -- but she's a devout Mormon who lives modestly in Cave Creek, Ariz., and eats at the local burger joint. For a woman who has sold more than 85 million books and has been hailed as the new J. K. Rowling, it is a remarkably modest home. Set down a dusty dirt trail, the four-bedroom property blends seamlessly into the desert landscape -- low and sand-colored with just a few cacti for decoration. Only a high-tech camera and newly installed metal gates give some hint of the occupant's desire for privacy."

3. Elizabeth Smart

The young woman endured brutality and came to court this year to face her abuser, Brian David Mitchell. After attending Brigham Young University, she is preparing to serve a mission in France. She was named Utahn of the Year by the Salt Lake Tribune. The excellent tribute by Trib columnist Peg McEntee reads:

"She had wanted to confront Mitchell with her eyes and words, but, predictably, he sang his hymns and was removed from the courtroom. When it was over, Elizabeth Smart strode, tall and straight, into the rest of her life. For so many of us, her astonishing homecoming restored hope when there seemed to be none, and the knowledge that even terrible times can end, and end well. And she taught us this: Faith, whatever its source, can make amazing things happen."

4. Jon Huntsman Jr.

President Barack Obama named Utah's former governor U.S. Ambassador to China. He took his post in August. Huntsman played host to Obama during a visit to China in November. Chinese media lauded Obama for the choice for Huntsman's understanding of Chinese language and culture. Huntsman previously served a U.S. ambassador to Singapore.

5. Orrin Hatch

Sen. Orrin Hatch was a key opponent to health care reform and taken on foes like the Bowl Championship Series. He also played a role in honoring the Sen. Edward Kennedy at his death. Over the years, the pair made an interesting senatorial odd couple. Along with speaking at Kennedy's memorial service, Hatch penned this piece in Newsweek. He also penned a Hanukkah song which was both complimented and parodied on "The Tonight Show."

6. Glenn Beck

The firebrand talk show host continued to attract attention on his national radio and TV shows, through his books and in the news media. The picture of Beck sticking his tongue out made it on the cover of Time magazine and parodied on several comedy shows. Here was Time's assessment:

"Glenn Beck: the pudgy, buzz-cut, weeping phenomenon of radio, TV and books. Our hot summer of political combat is turning toward an autumn of showdowns over some of the biggest public-policy initiatives in decades. The creamy notions of postpartisan cooperation -- poured abundantly over Obama's presidential campaign a year ago -- have curdled into suspicion and feelings of helplessness. Trust is a toxic asset, sitting valueless on the national books. Good faith is trading at pennies on the dollar. "

7. Mitt Romney

Emboldened by conservative supporters, Romney is keeping his eyes on 2012 presidential prize. Romney has been delivering a lot of keynoters and political endorsements around the nation and is getting ready to launch a book-promotion tour. A National Public Radio blog recent said this about who is a GOP frontrunner for 2012:

"Answer: No one so far. Mitt Romney, the venture capitalist and former governor of Massachusetts who ran a pretty good campaign in 2008, remains the class of the field but kept a low profile in 2009. Mike Huckabee led in some polls of Republicans that also found Sarah Palin popular. But Huckabee ended the year uncertain about running (and damaged by a clemency scandal from his days as Arkansas governor). Romney remains too much a general election candidate, a problem for the Democrats to be sure but far from the average Republican activist's cup of tea. His past positions on social issues were too styled to Massachusetts, and his Mormonism still leaves the party's religious base lukewarm at best."

8. Max Hall

BYU football quarterback Hall got his 15 minutes of national fame after the BYU-Utah football game when he said: "I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them," Hall said. "I hate everything about them. I hate their program. I hate their fans, I hate everything. ... I think the whole university, their fans and their organization, is classless." He later issued an apology and was sanctioned by the Mountain West Conference.

9. John Yettaw

The Missouri man widely noted in international media for his Mormon faith was held for a time in a Burmese prison charged with crime related to a swim across a lake to one of the world's best-known democracy figures, Aung San Suu Kyi. He left Myanmar with a U.S. senator. Despite his good intentions, Yettaw gave an unfortunate impression of Mormons to the world.

10. Michael Otterson

He was the spokesman behind the LDS Church statement at the Salt Lake City council meeting in early November that appears to be changing the politics in Utah for gays.

"The Church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage. They are also entirely consistent with the Church's prior position on these matters. The Church remains unequivocally committed to defending the bedrock foundation of marriage between a man and a woman. I represent a church that believes in human dignity, in treating others with respect even when we disagree -- in fact, especially when we disagree."

[reaganaut]

That is great!

[reaganaut]

Only two minutes?

- - - - - -
Only two minutes AT A TIME.

lather...rinse...repeat...lather...rinse...repeat...

[LeGrande]

Normally I would not respond to you past the initial post, waste of time, however the irony of mentioning BYU in any context when asking me what I consider fantasy is too delicious to pass without notice...

Hmm, you think it is a fantasy that the BYU quarterback hates the U? No wonder you are a born againer.

[LeGrande]

Critique away. Actually, the religion section is a greater free-for-all than news articles. So if you wanna defend the Mormon vampire writer, or Harry Reid, or Max Hall's infamous hate quotes, or other notorious Mormons, have at it.

LOL, your beliefs aren't founded in any type of reality are they? Religious threads are much more restrictive than News threads (less restrictive than forum threads though).

[LeGrande]

Then why aren’t the Muslim terrorist threads under Religion?

[Godzilla]

What are they doing? An update on the “Squire of Kolob”?

[Elsie]

Then why aren’t the Muslim terrorist threads under Religion?

Thank you for your contribution. Your comment has been submitted for review.

Hey!!

We don't run this place!

Besides; we all KNOW that the terrorist's RELIGION has NOTHING to do with their actions - just like MORMONs!

[Elsie]

No, I do not respect you. You spend far too much time here.

How did you KNOW??

[Elsie]

What are they doing? An update on the “Squire of Kolob”?

Perhaps...

[Elsie]

Thank you for your contribution. Your comment has been submitted for review.

---

How much longer do I have to fly with my hands in my lap?

[urroner]

“We now return you to your regularly scheduled two minutes of Mormon hating.”

>>>>>

Most of the Mormon-haters around here rejoice in the Lord by attacking others and pointing out the faults of other, while covering up their own. You know, it’s that old “eye, mote, beam” thing.

[urroner]

“We now return you to your regularly scheduled two minutes of Mormon hating.”

>>>>>

Most of the Mormon-haters around here rejoice in the Lord by attacking others and pointing out the faults of other, while covering up their own. You know, it’s that old “eye, mote, beam” thing.

[greyfoxx39]

Most of the Mormon-haters around here rejoice in the Lord by attacking others and pointing out the faults of other, while covering up their own. You know, it’s that old “eye, mote, beam” thing.

Poor, poor little persecuted mormons.....

Wash, rinse, repeat....

poor, poor little persecuted mormons...

Wash rinse, repeat....

"For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the ‘Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men."
-    Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, v. 3, p. 282

Apostle Bruce R. McConkie (1915 - 1985):

".the Book of Mormon remains secure, unchanged and unchangeable, ...But with the Bible it was not and is not so....it was once in the sole and exclusive care and custody of an abominable organization [Christianity], founded by the devil himself, likened prophetically unto a great whore, whose great aim and purpose was to destroy the souls of men in the name of religion. In these hands it ceased to be the book it once was."
-    Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, The Joseph Smith Translation, pp. 12, 13

“Believers in the doctrines of modern Christendom will reap damnation to their souls.”
-    Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, see pp. 45-46

“... all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ.... in large part the worship of apostate Christendom is performed in ignorance, as much so as was the worship of the Athenians who bowed the Unknown Gods.”
-    Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 269, 374-375

Prophet Ezra Taft Benson (1899 - 1994):


"This is not just another Church. This is not just one of a family of Christian churches. This is the Church and kingdom of God, the only true Church upon the face of the earth..."     
-    Prophet Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 164-165

[ejonesie22]

That is particularly fitting considering “errorner” is the all mighty Mormon who was the one who teamed up with an agnostic in a lame attempt to poke fun at true Christians on that little game thread of his earlier this week.

Pathetic doesn't cover it, but that comes as no surprise, the LDS is nothing but a lame game anyways.

[greyfoxx39]

I think it's very interesting that they are excommunicating McConkie's work from the "daktrin"!

"One intriguing change, Witten says, is that all references to late apostle Bruce R. McConkie's quasi-authoritative book, Mormon Doctrine, have been excised."

[urroner]

Once again, much to our amusement, some “true” Christians attempt to disprove others while doing squat to show their light to the world. Once again, they continue their campaign of deprivation and degradation of others while showing no one that what they believe about Christ, truth, and salvation is true.

Sadly, I think that the latter will never be forthcoming. They are just so full of hate and self-loathing that they are not able to show anybody the love of Christ.

[ejonesie22]

Thus sayeth the guy who thinks he will become the god of his own planet...

Okey Dokey...

[Larry Lucido]

There are some angels and some demons on this list. Guess that would be true of any religion.
God bless patriots like Glenn Beck and those thousands who serve honorably without ever making the news.

[Religion Moderator]

Do not use potty language on the Religion Forum.